Company News
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres considering Indonesia factory
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres Ltd (DATL) is planning to invest 1 trillion rupiah (£54.14 million; 64 million euros; US$70.92 million) in an aircraft tyre retreading factory in Karawang, West Java, Indonesia. According to several local news sources, the retreading factory will be followed by a new aircraft tyre production plant as well.
Pirelli presents Paolo Roversi’s ‘Looking for Juliet’ 2020 Calendar in Verona
Pirelli has launched the 2020 edition of The Cal. Paolo Roversi’s “Looking for Juliet” was presented to the public today at Verona’s Teatro Filarmonico. Taking its inspiration, and location setting from Shakespeare’s play, the photographer said that he wanted to capture the “Juliet that exists in every woman.” The 47th Pirelli calendar features Claire Foy, Mia Goth, Chris Lee, Indya Moore, Rosalía, Stella Roversi, Yara Shahidi, Kristen Stewart, and Emma Watson.
Liqui Moly becomes main sponsor of Moto2 team
Liqui Moly has strengthened its commitment to IntactGP and become main sponsor of the Moto2 racing team from the Allgäu region. Next year, the team will compete in the Motorcycle World Championship as “Liqui Moly IntactGP”. “We are expanding the successful cooperation and increasing the visibility of our brand,” says Ernst Prost, managing director of Liqui Moly.
Goodyear starts direct online tyre retail in Europe
Goodyear has launched a direct to consumer online tyre retail solution in the European market. The roll-out begins with a pilot project in Germany. The direct-to-consumer approach is said to be in addition to existing distribution channels. Based at goodyear.com/shop, the site aims to “seamlessly plan the purchase from choosing the right tyre to assembling with a local trading partner”.
Hubei Linglong initiates truck tyre production
Hubei Linglong Tire Co. Ltd., Linglong Tire’s fourth domestic Chinese manufacturing base, celebrated the production of its first truck tyres on 21 November. Dignitaries from Jingmen, Hubei, China, and Hubei Linglong Tire witnessed this historical moment together.
Hankook becomes new DTM Trophy series tyre partner
Hankook has extended its partnership with European touring cars, with another partnership with a promising new racing series. The new DTM Trophy will run on the Ventus Race tyre, with on-site support from the tyre manufacturer from the 2020 season. Hankook has signed a four-year contract with DTM umbrella organisation ITR, which will promote the new GT series. The new series will run as part of the support programme at seven rounds of the popular DTM series, which Hankook has supported as exclusive tyre partner since 2011.
Apollo Tyres enters Saudi Arabia tyre market
Apollo Tyres Ltd has entered the Saudi Arabia tyre market in cooperation with Al-Jomaih Tyres Company Limited, the exclusive distributors for the Kingdom. Apollo Tyres reports that it will be focussing on the large and growing truck-bus radial and passenger car tyre market, aiming to capture “a sizeable market share” in each of these segments.
Decennial shift in global PCLT tyre volume market share
The latest global tyre market share figures from tyre industry analyst Astutus Research show how long-established, leading players headquartered in Japan, Europe, and North America have seen their volume share diminish, while Chinese, ASEAN, and selected other markets’ tyre manufacturers’ share has risen. The analyst states that in aggregate, the ten leading PCLT tyre manufacturers based in Japan, Europe and North America (J-E-NA) have lost almost 6 percentage points of market share since the end of 2011 (OE and replacement segments combined, volumes in tyre units). In part this reflects a strategic choice of some to focus on the higher value premium segments of the market.
Pentalver praises Bridgestone’s products and services
One of the UK’s biggest freight haulage companies has given its endorsement to Bridgestone’s suite of commercial tyre services. Pentalver, a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W), which offers a range of container services including road haulage and container conversions, operates a fleet of over 350 tractor units and 900 trailers in the UK - all fitted on a combination of Bridgestone’s latest generation Ecopia H002 tyres and Bandag retread products.
Klarius adds Mini Cooper, Skoda Octavia exhausts
Klarius Products has added a range of new exhaust systems suitable for a wide selection of popular hatchbacks and saloons to its product range. These include fitments for the Mini Cooper and Skoda Octavia.
UK car production falls -4.0% in October
UK car manufacturing output fell -4.0 per cent in October, with 134,752 units rolling off production lines, 5,622 fewer than October 2018, new Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures show. British car production has now fallen in 16 of the last 17 months, with August the outlier. ‘No deal’ Brexit contingency shutdowns earlier in the year artificially boosted output that month.
CAM appoints new head of technical delivery
CAM is expanding its management team with the appointment of Carl Murphy as its new head of technical delivery. The company said the position forms part of its ongoing investment strategy to support its continued growth, while ensuring its delivery process continues to meet the constantly evolving requirements of the industry.
Davanti signs TTI distribution deal for France, Germany, Benelux
Davanti has unveiled a major distribution deal with Dutch wholesaler Tyre Trading International (TTI) at Equip Auto in Paris. The British tyre brand, which is now distributed in more than 60 countries globally, inked the deal offering next-day delivery across France, Germany, and the Benelux countries at the event.
First TBR tyre produced by Cooper, Sailun Vietnam JV
The joint venture between Cooper Tire & Rubber Company and Sailun Vietnam Co, Ltd has produced its first tyre. ACTR, facility located near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
What keeps drivers visiting the same garage?
The UK aftermarket is a competitive environment, comprised of tens of thousands of repairers, roughly half of whom are independent garages. With an estimated car parc of 32.5 million passenger cars, garage visits that will be made in the UK this year create a valuable marketplace. Local, regional and national agents need to understand how to fine-tune their workshops and services to build client loyalty.